All the time in the world
by OtterAndTerrier
Summary: Almost two months of separation had not been easy: no matter how busy and preoccupied he had been, he had missed the touch of a comforting hand and the stolen kisses. Plotless post-DH one-shot with a pinch of fluff.


Before you start reading, I must say that this story _has no plot_, so it's basically a PWP standing for 'Plot What Plot?' without smut (at all). I wrote this ages ago (probably two years), and I decided to post it because I have a lot of unposted stories and I need to get them out of my system (standing for 'notebooks'). I think what makes me more proud of this story is my Hagrid talk, because I had to do a bit of research for that.  
Thanks a lot to exartemarte for the beta work and for putting up with the sillyness of this story *wink*  
The title was stolen with no shame from a Louis Armstrong song. Please don't sue me.

Enjoy, anyway!  
Dessi

* * *

**All the time in the world (just for love)**

Hermione woke up startled. It was nearly midnight: she had fallen asleep on her open copy of _Potions and Brews: Advanced Level_ as she forced her eyes to stay open a little longer, just in case the night brought something for her...

She straightened up and saw what had blown out the candle, leaving her in the semi-darkness of the Common Room: Pigwidgeon, fluttering excitedly over the candle, held a letter tied to his claws. She hurried to take and unfold it, and ran her fingers over the parchment, through Ron's words, imagining she could feel his hand setting them down.

_'Hermione,_

_ Everything okay here. Mum, Dad and Harry say hello (they've just seen me writing). I'm quite busy and I think my head might explode anytime soon. Classes are really different and they keep us working all the time. Lucky Harry's with me, so we can share a laugh here. And there's a lot of stuff to help out with in the shop, but at least George isn't that bossy and gives me some time to catch up with everything. He's still having a hard time; not that I blame him, but some days he barely feels like leaving his bed. It's the pain of being back at the place they started together, I reckon._

_Sorry if Pig woke you up: I should have written this much earlier._

_So it's going well for you too, right? I insist that it's not fair you get points for something you already knew how to do, but I won't say anything as long as Gryffindor wins. Just joking. It's like the old times, except I'm missing it._

_I'm sorry, but I won't be going to Hogsmeade on Saturday. It's actually really depressing, but Harry and I won't be able to skip all the things we still have to do for the course next week. You should go, though, with Ginny, to take a bit of fresh air._

_I hope you're well and not mad at me._

_Night,_

_Ron._

_PS: I was looking forward to see you. I miss you. These are the longest letters I've written in my entire life.'_

Hermione finished reading and dropped her head onto her arms again. He wanted to see her. He couldn't, because he was going to be studying. It was a change for him, and she applauded it. But not right now. Right now, all she wanted was that Ron was there, waiting for her in Hogsmeade.

The following morning was the first excursion to the village. Hermione did not feel like going and told Ginny so, but the girl insisted so that, after lunch, she finally found herself walking through the gates with her.

'Come on, Hermione, cheer up! I've got to get some things there; you can go with me to buy all I need and then we have something to eat at the Three Brooms—'

'No, I'd rather go to the Hog's Head. I want to avoid people looking at us.'

'All right, then, no problem. We don't need the boys to have fun, do we?'

She didn't sound entirely convincing.

After lunch, Ginny suggested a stroll through the outskirts of Hogsmeade. However, as they were by the Shrieking Shack, she said, 'Oh no, I forgot my gloves at the Hog's Head!' and sprinted back up to the village, leaving Hermione alone. 'I'll be back in a second!' was the last thing Hermione could catch before the red mane vanished from sight.

Slightly annoyed, she sat down on a large rock covered in moss.

_She'd better not take too long. I feel rather stupid_, Hermione thought, _and a little uncomfortable_. She sensed she was not alone: somebody was near. She turned round, but there was no human presence anywhere she could see.

Suddenly, something pinched her on the back. She turned around again, but nothing. And then again: she looked away and felt a pinching, once, twice, many times. Hermione finally stood up, frightened, and thrust her hand into her pocket, clutching her wand.

'Who is there?' she asked, almost shouting. Only the echo of her words replied.

Now somebody or something was pulling softly at her sleeve. She moved away and drew out her wand, aiming into the air.

'I know there's somebody over there with an invisibility cloak!' she cried. 'And I won't hesitate to use my wand!'

'Will you jinx me, Hermione Granger?' an amused voice said behind her, six feet away. She faced the spot from which the voice came right at the moment Ron took off Harry's old cloak.

'Ron, how could you—' she began instinctively, then blinked; a smile crossed her face. 'You're here!'

Hermione ran towards him and nearly fell as she skidded on the damp grass, but Ron lunged forward and caught her. They were bent over, trying not to lose their balance and fall, their noses inches apart.

'Hi,' Hermione said breathlessly, wrapping her arms around his neck for better support.

'Hey.' He grinned and, pulling her into a more comfortable and less dangerous position, kissed her warm lips and suddenly forgot about the chilly autumn wind swirling around them. Almost two months of separation had not been easy: no matter how busy and preoccupied he had been, he had missed the touch of a comforting hand and the stolen kisses.

'We didn't expect such an enthusiastic welcome,' Harry's voice said in the distance.

Ron and Hermione moved apart reluctantly and glared at him. Harry was watching them with Ginny by his side and an amused expression on his face.

'May you burn in hell, Potter, interrupting again!'

'Just giving you a taste of your own medicine,' Harry said, smirking.

'Yes, but we'll leave you now: we just came to tell you I'll meet you again at six, Hermione, on the main road, okay?' Ginny interrupted, beginning to drag Harry along with her.

'Hang on, Ginny—did you know about this?' Hermione eyed her suspiciously.

'Actually, yes, it was a surprise for you.' Ron's sister sniggered. 'Enjoy yourself, see you later!'

And without another word, the pair walked away.

'I wasn't expecting a welcome like that either.' Ron smirked, turning again to Hermione.

'It wasn't funny, Ron, you really scared me! And I slipped. It was... um, interesting, though.'

'And painful. It nearly broke my spine.'

'Are you insinuating I weigh too much?' Hermione arched an eyebrow in mock outrage.

'No, quite the opposite: you look great... Better than ever, really,' Ron assured her, and put his arms around her waist.

'I missed you too,' she said quietly against his shoulder. 'But how come you two are here? Weren't you going to spend the weekend studying?'

'Change of plan. It turned out that... er, we didn't have quite so much to do after all, so we decided to come,' Ron said a little evasively. Hermione beamed at him.

'That's good!'

'Yeah, it's great. Hey, why don't we take a walk?'

Their arms wrapped around each other to keep warm, they walked back into the village. It was a cloudy day, though streaks of sunshine crossed the sky from time to time, and the cold wind penetrated their bones; however, they didn't feel the cold as they went from shop to shop.

If there was something besides Hermione that Ron was missing from not going to Hogwarts, it was Honeydukes: the warm, sweet-smelling shop was bursting with students refilling their sugar provisions.

'Want to share one?' Ron asked Hermione, pointing at one of the new products displayed next to the chocolate frogs. Shortly after, they found themselves sitting on a bench outside the shop, nibbling at a Lukewarm Chocolate Sweetheart. Hermione was laughing heartily at the thread of caramel dangling from Ron's chin when a dark shadow fell across them.

Looking up, they saw Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown standing in front of them.

Hermione's cheeks turned bright red and she quickly abandoned her ideas regarding Ron's chin. Their ex-roommates at Hogwarts were given the choice, like the rest of their year, to come back to take their NEWTs, since most classes during the previous year had followed their normal course. Therefore, most of the students who had not come back to repeat their seventh year were staying at the castle for the two weeks of the special examination board.

'You don't need to look me like that,' Lavender said with a forced smile. 'I just thought I'd say hello.'

'Oh, I... well... hello. How are you?'

'Great, actually. Enjoying the day?'

There was a silence. Ron knew it was not just to say hello. Lavender could say hello to Hermione whenever she fancied, but Hermione had told him that she had hardly set eyes on her or Ginny during her stay at Hogwarts.

'Take it easy, Hermione, I know you've been together all this time. It was rather obvious. You don't owe anything to me, either of you.'

Hermione exchanged a look with Ron.

'Listen, whatever you thought, we weren't dating back in sixth year.'

'I reckon you hid it quite well, then,' Lavender said coldly. Parvati, however, nudged her gently in the ribs; Lavender cleared her throat before speaking again. 'Anyway, I only wanted to... to thank you. Professor Trelawney visited me when I was in St. Mungo's, and she said you stopped the werewolf who tried to bite me.'

Hermione turned twice as red.

'Yes, she did,' Ron said instead. 'We were passing by, then Trelawney took over.'

'Well, then... thank you. Reckon if it wasn't because of that, I wouldn't be...'

Parvati gave them a small smile, and they went away again.

'What is the matter with you?' Ron turned to her and she saw he was smiling widely. 'I don't think I've ever told you... you really amazed me when you did that.'

'What did you expect, that I'd let that thing bite her?' Hermione replied in a flat voice. 'She may have been your... your ex-girlfriend, but Ron, I would never do that!'

'I know you wouldn't, it's only... it was really very noble of you, and you gave that beast what he deserved.'

Hermione noticed his fingers had tightened on her waist and remembered. That beast had threatened to bite _her_. She had suffered from several nightmares during their time at Shell Cottage, dreams in which Ron lay on the floor and Greyback cornered her.

'It's all right,' she said, smiling reassuringly. Ron nodded slowly, running his hand up and down her back. Sometimes they still needed to wipe away the memories that threatened to engulf them even in daylight.

'I forgot,' Ron said, breaking the tension. 'Harry and I are staying in Hogsmeade 'til tomorrow.'

'What? And you tell me just now?'

Ron stood up and offered her a hand.

'Let's go and find somewhere quiet.'

Ron and Harry did not eat at Hogwarts that evening. After the war, the three of them had been in the spotlight, and now more than ever, they attracted open admiration. Sitting at a table with hundreds of students eager to talk or merely stare at them was not an appealing prospect for either of them. Consequently, they were staying at the Hog's Head.

'Morning.' Ron greeted Hermione the following day as she approached the columns crowned with winged boars. She felt a spring in her feet at the sight of him.

'Good morning. Did you sleep well?'

Before answering, Ron leant and kissed her. 'I certainly did. Where are we going today?'

'Well...' Hermione bit her lip. 'Last night, Hagrid asked Ginny and me to pay him a visit today; he wants to see you and Harry, too. We—Ginny and I—arranged that you and I will go in the morning, and Harry and Ginny after lunch.'

She looked at him dubiously.

'I know it isn't the best way of spending the only day we've had for ourselves for a while, but—'

'We owe it to Hagrid.'

'You don't mind, then?'

'I'll still be with you. And we'll be going out for lunch. I wouldn't stay for one of Hagrid's meals, anyway.'

When they reached Hagrid's hut, back in the Hogwarts grounds, they did not regret the visit. Hagrid gave them both rib-cracking hugs; they had last talked to him at Fred's funeral. Even Hermione, who had barely left the library since classes had started.

'I need ter finish somethin', go in an' get comfortable. Be back in a minute.'

The scars on Hagrid's rebuilt home were too noticeable to be ignored. Ron, however, decided to speak before their friend was back.

'I didn't get much sleep last night, to be honest, knowing that we were so close and I'll be gone again today.'

Hermione stopped looking around the hut to stare at him in surprise. He chuckled and slid his hand under hers, entwining their fingers together.

'I thought we could have used the night if the day wasn't enough, just to walk around or lie together. We should consider it next time.'

'We really should.' Hermione silently reproached herself for not having thought of that before hand, instead of spending a restless night. She reached up to Ron's lips and locked them with hers. Those kisses would have to last for another couple of months; both did their best to give the other what they needed, taking what was being offered.

'Who would ha' said it, after all?' Hagrid's voice drifted to them. They broke apart in haste, flushing as the tickling pulse slowly faded from their lips. Ron dropped his hand from Hermione's face with regret, and spoke first, a hint of amusement in his voice.

'You didn't know we were together, Hagrid?'

'Ha! Yeh would ha' ter be blind not to see yeh were! After the battle, yeh didn't let go o' each other, an' whenever one was missin', so was the other. Everyone needed ter lean on somebody after what happened, but yeh two it had ter be.' He beamed benevolently at them. 'I just hadn't seen yeh kissin'; it's weird.'

'We generally don't kiss in... ah, in public.'

'Well, wi' a hell o' a kiss as tha' was, no wonder: you'd make people jealous,' Hagrid said, winking.

'Sorry,' Hermione murmured weakly.

'An' for what?' Hagrid sat down in front of them. 'Tha's why I wanted to see yeh. I know it must be a bugger, stealin' precious time together from yeh, but I needed to see yeh were all right an' happy.'

Hermione smiled back at him, reaching for Ron's hand on the table and squeezing it. She glanced sideways and her eyes met Ron's.

'Yes, we are.'

'Good, very good.'

Almost turning over his chair, Hagrid hurried to make tea as he wiped something from his face.

They met Harry and Ginny at the Three Broomsticks for lunch, but they soon regretted not having chosen the Hog's Head instead. Although the Hogwarts students were not allowed to visit the village on Sunday, the students who were taking the NEWTs early and the rest of the wizards and witches who usually visited Hogsmeade on weekends were what they had been trying to avoid. Every bit of conversation was interrupted by people demanding attention from the ones who had helped bring Voldemort down. The number of young witches seemed somehow to be more numerous, to Hermione's and Ginny's annoyance.

'It's not jealousy, Ron,' Hermione said, her head resting back on Ron's chest, his arms wrapped around her, as they sat in a small clearing outside the village, enjoying the balmy day. 'It's only... don't they see we're together? I mean, boys as well as girls. It's quite obvious we are. And they are quite obvious too, that's what bothers me.'

'Yeah... I suppose we've got to trust each other, right? Because... well, I'm surrounded by all sorts of people at the shop and at the Ministry. You're more secluded in some ways, here, even in spite of certain people—'

'We've already discussed the Head Boy problem long enough,' Hermione said crossly. 'But you're right. I... I trust you. Do you trust me?'

'If you still haven't run away from me, I assume it's for something.' Ron grinned. 'Yes.'

Getting free of his arms with some delicacy, Hermione knelt facing Ron.

'Hogwarts isn't the same. That's why you and Harry didn't want to come, I know it. It isn't the same for me either, but I had to. And the fact that you aren't around makes it even more different.'

She looked at him seriously, and Ron took her hands.

'It probably wasn't the best start for a relationship, to be apart for so much time right after we could... get used to being together. But if we make it through—'

Ron raised his eyebrows and Hermione knew what he meant. Why wouldn't we?

'I know we will, I just had to start my sentence somehow!' She laughed. 'Then we'll have all the time in the world, that's what I wanted to say.'

She put her arms around Ron's neck and kissed him softly.

'And... We could start what we didn't want to over the summer.'

Her face was glowing against his; Ron pushed a strand of brown hair out of her face and his warm breath tickled her ear.

'I'm glad we didn't. I wouldn't have been able to stay away from you.'


End file.
